The European Parliament adopted by 653 votes to 17, with 11 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down temporary measures with regard to the time-limits applicable to the collection, verification and examination phases provided for in Regulation (EU) 2019/788 on the European citizens' initiative in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The main purpose of the proposal is, for exceptional reasons in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, to postpone by 12 months the dates for the production and placing on the market of non-road mobile machinery and tractors equipped with transition engines.

The position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure amended the Commission proposal.

The amended text specifies that the regulation should enter into force as a matter of urgency on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union and should apply from 1 July 2020.

Such application is justified by the unpredictable and sudden nature of the spread of COVID-19 and by the need to ensure legal certainty and equal treatment of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), whether they produce non-road mobile machinery before or after the date of entry into force of the Regulation.

PURPOSE: to amend the dates of application of certain transitional provisions of Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 on emission limits and type-approval for non-road mobile machinery to address the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.

PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: The European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure on an equal footing with the Council.

BACKGROUND: Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 of the European Parliament and of the Council lays down requirements relating to emission limits and EU type-approval procedures for engines for non-road mobile machinery. It sets new emissions limits, referred to as ‘Stage V’, which are designed to reduce the current emissions of air pollutants from engines for non-road mobile machinery.

Given the structural challenge for certain manufactures to shift towards Stage V emission limits, the Regulation provides some lead time to make this transition.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 has caused a disruption of the supply chain of critical parts and components, which has led to delays for engines and machinery fitted with those engines that comply with less stringent emission limits than those of Stage V and that need to be placed on the market before the dates set out in Regulation (EU) 2016/1628.

In view of this exceptional situation, it is likely that manufacturers of non-road mobile machinery will not be able to ensure that engines and engine-equipped machinery benefiting from the transitional period will meet the deadlines set without suffering serious economic damage.

It is therefore necessary to modify the dates of application of certain transitional provisions of Regulation (EU) 2016/1628.

CONTENT: the proposal primarily aims at providing, for exceptional reasons in the context of the current COVID-19 outbreak, an extension of twelve months for the manufacture and placing on the market of transition engines and the machinery equipped with them.

This proposal has no environmental effects since the measures facilitate the placing in the market of goods fitted with engines produced before the pandemic. It also avoids the need to scrap otherwise non-compliant goods fitted with such engines

The Commission considers that the extension of 12 months is justified given the seasonal nature of the goods in which transition engines will be fitted. This is particularly the case for tractors and garden equipment. In addition, it is difficult to predict the exact duration of the delays that will be suffered for the completion of the impacted goods (e.g. inland waterways vessels).

In view of the fact that the transition period provided for in Article 58(5) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 for certain engines will expire on 31 December 2020 and that manufacturers have until 30 June 2020 to produce transition engines, this Regulation should enter into force as a matter of urgency.